The present invention relates in general to clamping devices, and in particular to clamping devices for securing one or more bricks during cutting operations.
Cast cementitious blocks such as bricks and other brittle masonry stock are used extensively in construction projects due largely to the durability, versatility and economy provided thereby. Bricks typically have a uniform size and shape, and may be physically interlocked in any number of orientations allowing the bricks to be used in both structural and ornamental capacities. However, the hand laying of bricks is time consuming, labor intensive, and requires skill and experience to ensure professional, structurally sound, and aesthetically pleasing end results. One aspect of brick laying that is particularly time consuming is the cutting of bricks. For example, at corners, arches, windows, and doorways, certain bricks must be cut to accommodate the project design. Due to manufacturing tolerances in the underlying structure, variations in the brick dimensions and variations in the thickness of the mortar interleaved between successive rows of bricks, it is not always possible to determine and precut the necessary bricks before the start of a project. Accordingly, bricks must be cut to size on the construction site.
A number of approaches are available to cut bricks to their desired size. For example, a mason can score the brick, then using a special hammer, repeatably strike the brick until breakage occurs, hopefully along the score line. This approach is time consuming and takes considerable practice to be able to cleanly break bricks. Even once a mason can form a clean break, it is still a time consuming process. Moreover, a certain amount of wasted materials will be consumed because the random nature of the brittle bricks.
Masonry saws are also available for cutting bricks. A typical masonry saw consists of a rotating saw blade that is either provided on a fixed table or in a hand-held, portable format. The saw may also include a fluid supply that wets the bricks being cut and the saw blade to reduce the amount of ambient dust and cool the blade. Irrespective of the saw configuration, currently, bricks are manually cut, one at a time.
Such a process is enormously time consuming, as each brick must be individually measured, marked and cut to the desired specifications. The repetitiveness of the process may lead to inconsistently measured and cut bricks causing waste. Further, each brick is usually held in place by hand or foot while performing cutting operations. During the cuffing operation, the saw can kick away from the brick, and chips of brick and other debris may fly from the work area potentially creating a hazardous environment.
Accordingly, there is a need for a clamping device that is durable, portable, and is allows for multiple bricks to be securely held during cutting operations.